Williams-Sonoma Chicken Essentials

So, I went to a new Williams-Sonoma class this morning. It was called Chicken Essentials. Unfortunately, I had to leave early, so I didn't actually get to taste anything, but it was all smelling really good! Here are some things I learned:
You should always grill your meat at room temperature because it seals in the moisture. Also, thawing frozen chicken causes it to lose alot of moisture.
Organic Chicken weighs more than Regular Chicken.
You can use a panini press to grill meat (yet another reason I need one!)

Here's a few recipes we did:
Chicken Satay
2 Shallots, quartered
2 cloves of garlic, halved
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp lemon grass powder
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
Mix them all together in a food processor.
Add 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk and 2 Tbsp water and process again. It should be a thick paste.
Put it in a big ziploc and add 1.5 lbs of cubed raw chicken breasts. Marinate overnight. Skewer and grill. Mmmm!

Chipotle Chicken Panini
Find the recipe here:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/recipeDetail.cfm?objectid=CD344450-091D-2356-32728D77CBC6B7A8

The rub is chipotle, cumin, oregano, onions and garlic. I'm sure you could make you own rub or marinade. It would also be tasty with a different rub, I think.

I'm a Slacker! And a Mooch!

Gosh- I am such a slacker! I have just now realized that my last post was on Saturday. And now it is Tuesday night. I am ashamed. Very, very ashamed. I keep meaning to post things- I had a ton of things laid out for Sunday, Monday, and Today (okay, most of them happened on Saturday) but I have forgotten most of them. Here is one thing I remember.

I had a great time on Saturday going to a cooking class! It was called Chocolate Obsession, and let me tell you, it was a great title. Williams-Sonoma offers free cooking classes every other week (and sometimes more often) on Saturday mornings. Although, I think the classes are usually on Sundays, but here in Mormonville, they switch it for us. I have been to a ton of really great ones. My favorites have been Balsamic Vinegar, Pizza, Breakfast, and of course, Chocolate Obsession.
Here are some cool things I learned:
Most white chocolate you find (seriously- you have probably never had real white chocolate) is fake. It's just vanilla flavored waxy stuff. Not real chocolate. Real white chocolate is extremely rare and expensive.
The best way to shave chocolate is with a serrated knife, not a straight one.
The vanilla they sell at W.S. comes from three different locations (three separate vanillas) which you can also find other places. Mexican (which is the sweetest and goes best with chocolate), Tahitian (which is the most intense) and Madagascar (which is a middle-ish one.)
The commonly accepted best chocolate for use in baking or pastries is Valrhona.
What I ate:
A panini made with a croissant stuffed with chocolate and bananas (so good!)
A brownie from the W.S. mix (best Mix brownie ever.)
A brownie made from scratch with real chocolate bars (not cocoa powder) Super good and gooey!
A Cheater Chocolate Mousse
A molten lava cake called a Bouchon from a mix they sell. It was gooey all over! (In the photo)
Ganache (always a favorite!)
I think that was it, but I may be forgetting a few things I ate. Anyway- it was an amazing class, and I learned a ton. They also give you recipes, which is great. I got one for Balsamic Brownies, which really intrigue me. I would strongly suggest trying a class if they have a Williams-Sonoma by you. Hey- it's free, right?